Tied Together
by Greenybean
Summary: College student Maka Albarn loves everything about her job at a local music store. Working with her closest friends, having a reliable source of income, and interacting with customers all day sure sounded like a wonderful job. But every rose has its thorn, and the thorn that stuck Maka was a coworker by the name of Soul Eater.
1. Chapter 1

Intro

"Thank you, have a great day!" Maka said with a smile. Maka hands the woman her bag, and she walks out of the store. Maka sighs happily, placing her hands on either side of the cash register and looking out the window. Unlike most people, she actually enjoyed her job. How could she not? She works in a music store with her closest friends. Who wouldn't enjoy that?

But of course, every rose has its thorn. And the thorn that stuck Maka everyday all day was none other than Soul Eater, one of her coworkers. Not only did he not care about work, he constantly teased Maka and his attitude sucked. Maka never thought it was possible to dislike someone as much as she disliked Soul. But never hate; hate was too strong of a word.

The sight of him walking through the door sent an angry tremor through Maka's body. He was late, like always. But Maka willed herself to be calm as he walked by with a smirk. I love my job, I love my job, I need the money, I need the money...

 **Maka**

The worst day of my life started with me being early, because I would never be late to work.

I was opening the store today, so I usually get there early to make sure everything was in order. I lock the door to my apartment and walk down the street, inhaling the fresh morning air. I love living so close to work.

The walk to the mall was quick, like usual. I see a long black ponytail standing next to the music store door, waiting. Tsubaki turns and smiles at me. I smile back.

"Good morning!" I said, skipping over to her. She laughs at my childish antics, her clear blue eyes shining in the sunlight.

"Good morning, Maka. How'd you sleep?" She asks politely.

"Good! What about you?" I ask. She nods, smiling. We had to wait for our manager, Justin, to come unlock the building for us, so we began to chat to pass the time.

"How's Black Star feeling?" I ask, referring to her sick boyfriend. She gives an exasperated sigh, making me laugh.

She chuckles slightly. "After much harassment for me to care for him, he's doing much better. He'll be coming in a little later." She said. I nod, smiling. Just then, I saw a blonde haired boy with earphones walking up. I smile and wave at Justin, who reciprocates my action.

"Good morning, girls." He said kindly, unlocking the door. We say good morning, but judging by how loud his music is, he probably didn't hear us. He holds the door open, and we walk in.

"Do we need to put the sign out again?" Tsubaki asks, referring to the promotional sign advertising our current sale. Justin nods and walks to the back of the store. Tsubaki and I grab the sign together and pull it out, its size too great for only one of us to move.

Once out neatly, Tsubaki and I go back into the store. She assumes her role behind the cash register, and I begin rearranging some CDs. I didn't mind working on the floor; I got more interaction with customers.

The store music comes on. I begin dancing around to the beat, making Tsubaki laugh. I laugh too, grateful for what my life was like now.

Although I shouldn't be so unfair to Papa. He was providing payment for me to finish college, but his constant flings with women hurt me. It wasn't until Mama left that I'd been driven over the edge. I'd begun making preparations to leave. Tsubaki had been my life-line, helping me pack and find a new place to live. When college let out last month, all I needed was the key to my new apartment.

I'd left in the middle of the night on my bike, leaving nothing but a scribbled note saying that I'd call later. Once at the apartment, I'd unpacked all night, too riled up to sleep. Papa called around 8 the next morning, crying into the phone and begging me to come home. I'd calmly explained to him where I was, why I was there, and that I'd most likely not be coming home. He wailed at the sound of this.

Before I'd hung up on him, I gave him my address in case he wanted to visit. He's visited a few times, and they all usually end with him begging me to come home and me throwing him out. Did he really think I'd want to live with him forever?

"Excuse me, ma'am?" A small voice asks. I snap back to reality, and see a young girl and her mother standing before me. I smile.

"Yes, how may I help you?" I ask politely, bending over more to be eye level with the girl. She looks at her mother, who gives her an encouraging smile. The girl's eyes wander as she asks her question.

"Do you have the, um, new Taylor Swift album?" She asks quietly.

I beam at her. "Of course we do! Here, let me show you. I've already listened to some of it, it's so good." I said, guiding them over to our new releases section. I pull a CD copy from the rack and hand it to her. Her face lights up.

"Thank you! I'm going to listen to it the minute I get home!" She promises. Her mother laughs, walking her daughter towards the cash register.

The girl looks at me with hopeful eyes, and I walk them towards the register. "And when you come back to the mall, make sure you stop in and tell me your favorite song on there, okay?" I ask. She nods, her smile stretching even further. Her mother gives me a thankful smile, and turns towards Tsubaki to check out. I wave goodbye to the girl and walk towards some new people that just entered.

"Where is he, Black Star?!" I demand, standing angrily with my arms crossed. My shift had ended 30 minutes ago, and my relief has _yet_ to show up. I wouldn't care as much as I normally did, since him being late wasn't new, but I'd already clocked out, so I wasn't getting any pay.

Black Star shrugs. "How am I supposed to know, Maka?! You think I would waste time on something as stupid as knowing where Soul is?! _I_ am a GOD, woman! I have to focus on..." He begins rambling, waving his arms in a crazy manner. I'm thankful there aren't many customers in the store to listen to this.

I walk away from Black Star and his outburst, and over to Kid at the cash register. Kid was hunched over the it, reorganizing the money drawers. I sigh to myself; he does this every day. "I guess I'm never going home." I sigh, leaning against the counter.

Kid looks up from the register, motioning towards the door. "Have no fear, Maka. He's here now." I look out the glass doors and see none other than Soul Eater, strolling lazily towards the building. I clench my fists; the nerve of this guy!

He walks through the door, his messy white hair falling in his face. He gives a nod to Kid, ignores me completely, and walks over to Black Star. I feel my blood boil as he begins a conversation with him. I wander towards them, eavesdropping on their conversation.

"I didn't even think I'd be able to come in today." Soul said. His eyes flick over to where I'm standing, but I pretend to be occupied with my shirt. When I look at him again, he's smirking.

"I'm probably still high right now." He said quietly, but I hear it. I gasp, not even trying to hide my expression as I look at him. Black Star is laughing, and Soul chuckles. I walk quickly away from them and towards Kid, who's attention is back in the register.

"Kid, I think Soul is high." I said sternly. Kid looks over at the two laughing boys and frowns.

"What makes you say that?" He asks.

"He just told Black Star! He can't be here if he's high! I'm going to tell Stein." I said, turning towards the executive's office. Suddenly, Kid reaches out and wraps a pale hand around my arm.

"Maka..." He begins. I turn and look at him, confused at his actions. He sighs and shakes his head, letting my arm go. "Don't do that." He said.

"What?!" I ask, taken aback. Next to Tsubaki and I, I thought Kid cared about his job the most. Why would he hold me back from doing the right thing?

I raise an eyebrow, awaiting a response. "I don't think he's high." He said. I scoff, but Kid's face is serious.

"You've got to be kidding me." I mutter. I walk away from Kid, ignoring his calls. I dodge customers as I storm to the back of the building, knocking on Stein's office.

"Come in!" I hear through the door. I turn the handle and walk into the office. It's pretty bland, no attempt at decorating. All of the furniture is gray or white, with odd stitch mark designs on them. Stein himself sat at a desk, reading from a computer over his glasses. The only other time I'd been in this room was my job interview.

"Mr. Stein." I said sternly. He looks up from his computer, and a slow smile spreads across his face.

"Ah, Maka! Pleasure to see you. How's your old man doing?" He asks. He and my father have been friendly since college. I refrain from telling anybody this for fear they'll think I was only hired because my father was his friend, even though Stein assured me I'd earned the job all on my own.

I wrinkle my nose at the mention of my father. "Erm, fine I guess, I haven't seen him lately. But Mr. Stein I-"

"He hasn't dropped by? I guess that's expected, he's always so sad when he leaves your place."

"Well, yes he isn't always in the best of moods when he leaves, but that's not wh-"

"Don't blame yourself Maka, he needs to realize you're growing up and-"

"Mr. Stein I am sorry to interrupt but I have something important to tell you!" I exclaim. He raises his eyebrows at my sudden outburst, but he does give me his full attention. I take a deep breath. "I have reason to believe that Soul Eater is here and is under the influence of drugs." I said calmly.

It's silent for a minute. I see Stein squint his eyes at me, and then he finally speaks. "Soul Eater... Is high?" He asks.

"I believe so sir, yes." I said, nodding. He makes a "huh" sound, and sits back in his chair. He pushes his legs off of the ground and rolls away from his desk. The chair nearly flips over a wire on the ground, but he manages to keep it in place.

"Well, then. I'll be out in a moment to investigate." He said, standing from his chair. I nod and walk out the door, an odd sense of satisfaction filling my stomach. I did the _right_ thing. He shouldn't be here if he's used drugs recently.

"Well, I guess I'll add tattletale to my list of nicknames for you, pigtails." I hear someone say. I turn and see Soul leaning up against the wall, his hands in his pockets. The sight of him makes my face turn into a scowl.

"Say what you want, Soul. You're in the wrong here." I retort, spinning on my heel and beginning to walk away. Until I hear laughter. I look back at Soul, who is in hysterics. "What's so funny?!" I demand.

He shakes his head at me. "You're so stupid, Maka." He said. I gape at his words as he steps away from the wall and walks over towards me. He towers in front of me, but I don't let his height intimidate me. I puff my chest up and look him right in the eyes, emerald meeting ruby.

"Excuse me?" I demand.

"You shouldn't eavesdrop on conversations you're not involved in. Not only is it totally uncool, but you also miss things. And you can't always tell what the truth is." His lips curl into a smirk as I realize what he's saying.

Was Kid right? Was he really lying about being high? To see what reaction he'd get out of me? I try not to let my contradiction show on my face, but judging by his satisfied smirk, it must have. "Whatever Soul." I said, turning away from him.

But he's quick. He shifts around me and stands in between myself and the door. I sigh and cross my arms. "Move out of my way, I've had to stay here long enough because of you." I spit, trying to move past him. But he won't let me.

"C'mon know-it-all, have some fun!" He said, grinning. I glance to Kid for help, but he's too occupied in the cash register. I glare at Soul.

"Move." I said through gritted teeth. My heart begins to beat quickly, my legs go numb, and my hands clench and unclench. I know this feeling; true rage.

"Why?" He tests.

"Soul." I demand. The dam holding my emotions is cracking. I need to get out of here. He needs to get out here. Before I break his nose.

But he does the opposite. He leans his head in closer to my face. "Why?" He asks again.

The dam broke. The emotions ran through my body like ocean currents during a storm. "B-because," I begin, trying to keep it all in. But when he smirks, I know whatever I try is futile. "BECAUSE I HATE YOU, SOUL EATER! I never thought I could hate anybody, never thought I was capable of such negative emotion, and then I met _YOU_. I don't care about your JOB, I don't care about what you say or think of ME, and I CERTAINLY do not care about YOU!" I scream.

Soul's face held a look of surprise. I stand before him panting, realizing I attracted the attention of every customer and employee in the store. My eyes widen in horror as I realize what I'd just done. And then, from the back of the building, I hear a voice that makes my blood run cold.

"Well. I think I'll need to meet with the both of you now." Stein's cool voice said. My body trembles as I turn and take the walk of shame towards Stein's office, Soul following close behind.

Stein laces his long fingers together, his eyes shifting between the two of us. Soul sat back in his chair, his hands behind his head. I sat pin straight, blinking furiously to prevent tears from spilling. "So, uh, what just happened?" Stein asks hesitantly.

Soul rolls his eyes and raises an arm in my direction. "She lost her cool in front of everybody." He said.

The humiliation I felt leaves my body as he says this. I turn to face him, eyes blazing. "Oh, and you were just so perfectly innocent, Soul. I told you to leave me alone... Twice!"

"Whatever Maka, you were still the one to flip out on me."

"Well maybe because you're one of the most aggravating person I've ever met!"

"Oh, like you're any better?"

" _I'm_ not a nuisance!"

Soul shakes his head. "Keep telling yourself that, pigtails."

"And I hate your stupid nicknames for me! They're demeaning and rude!"

"What's so wrong with pigtails?! You wear your hair like that all the time."

"Tiny tits? Baby boobs? Know-it-all? Tattletale? Nerd? You think those don't hurt?" I ask, biting my lip. Soul turns away from me, muttering something under his breath. I begin to stand from my seat when Stein puts a hand up.

"Stop. The both of you." He commands. I cross my legs and arms, glaring at the side of Soul's face. His arms were crossed as well, his eyes trained on the wall. Stein sighs. "I've been getting quite a few... Notifications, I guess you can say, from other employees on the hostility between the two of you in the workplace. Now, let's dissect the situation.

"You aren't always going to get along with your coworkers, but you have to be able to work with them. From what I've heard, there have been multiple run ins with the both of you not being able to work together. I've been meaning to pull each of you in separately to discuss it, but after what happened today... I'm afraid I have no other choice."

"M-Mr. Stein? What do you mean?" I ask, my voice wavering. Even Soul's attention is now fully on the man in front of us. He takes a deep breath.

"Maka, Soul, I'm sorry to say that you both are fired. Please take all of your belongings and go home. You can come collect your final paycheck tomorrow afternoon." My heart stops. I can't remember how to breathe. My eyes were probably bugging out of my head, my mouth agape. This couldn't be happening. No! This couldn't be happening! I put so much into this job, worked so hard, to be fired for something as stupid as this?!

Soul stands from his chair and gives Stein a curt nod. He gives me a look, and then walks out the door. "Maka.." Stein begins, but I cut him off.

"Are you kidding me, Stein?! I'm one of your best workers! I work- worked so hard these past few months!" I exclaim, tears rolling down my cheeks. Stein sighs, standing from his seat. He walks over to my chair and rests a hand on my shoulder.

"Maka, I can't just fire Soul when you played a large part in it as well. Especially today." He explains. I continue crying, wiping my eyes with the back of my hands. "Listen, I'll tell you what. If you and Soul can become at least civil with each other, can work together without having fights or name-calling or having feelings get hurt, then I will take the two of you back." He promises. I look up from my hands, sniffling.

"R-really?" I ask. He nods. "Thank you so much, Mr. Stein. I-I'm gonna work on it. I'll make things right."

I run out of Stein's office, looking for Soul's whit head. Stein had given me a golden opportunity, and I just need Soul to get onboard. I see him walk out the front door, and I quickly follow him.

"Maka! You got my best friend fired! I'll teach you what happens when you mess with Black Star's friends!" Black Star shouts at me.

"Black Star, stay out of it!" Kid scolds. I give him a grateful smile and push out the doors. It was hot for being so late in the afternoon; I could already feel sweat forming on my face.

"Soul!" I cry, running after him. He stops walking and turns, his face wrinkling when he sees me. I reach him, out of breath. He chuckles.

"What do you want, Usain Bolt?" He asks. I ignore his comment as I try and catch my breath. Once settled, I look up at him.

"Stein said if we learn to be civil and work together, he'll rehire us!" I exclaim, smiling. Soul gives me a look, then rolls his eyes.

"Looks like you have a lot of practicing to do then, Maka."

I frown. "Excuse me?"

"You're the one always acting uncool towards me. I usually just ignore you." My frown turns to a scowl, but I quickly shake it off. It's probably not a good idea to get into a fight with someone you're trying to become friendly with.

"We have to work together on this. We should probably get together a few times during the week and have, you know, bonding time!" I said, smiling. A list of ideas fill my head: we could grab food, we could take a walk, we could go to the library... The options were endless as to what we could do to bond.

"Yeah, no. I don't want to do that." Soul said. My shoulders slump.

"What if it's only... Once a week? And I make all of the plans, and we only pay for ourselves, and it only has to be an hour or an hour and a half." I suggest. He gives me another look, and I sigh. "I'm trying, Soul. I'd appreciate if you would to." I said. I realize how pathetic I sound, how much I'm relying on somebody who doesn't like me.

As if by some sort of miracle, Soul shrugs. "Fine. But plan some cool stuff. No book clubs or volunteering crap." He instructs. My face lights up and I nod.

"Okay! How about tomorrow after we get our checks?" I ask. He thinks for a moment, then nods.

"Not long tomorrow, I have plans." I nod, and he walks away. A new sort of hope fills my chest, and I feel like I can run a marathon. I can become cordial with Soul. I _can_ get my job back. I _can_ continue living on my own. I'm putting so much faith in somebody who I just finished telling I hate... I pray he'll come through.

 **This is the first installment of Tied Together, a SoulxMaka fanfiction. All reviews and favorites are appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Soul**

I sure as hell didn't expect to get fired like _that_. I thought it'd be something stupid; maybe too many late days, slacking off on the job, not knowing the correct information. But no, it was because Maka flipped on me.

I knew how to get inside Maka's head. Her stubbornness was her downfall, and it never ceased to make me laugh when she would get angry. But the anger she unleashed on me yesterday was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. Although I shouldn't be surprised; Maka was the queen of uncool.

And now she was trying to fix everything, get us rehired. I exit the music store, holding my last paycheck and glance around the mall courtyard. People stroll along, talking and holding shopping bags. I was supposed to meet Maka in the café across the way, but I didn't want to head that way yet. I couldn't see if Maka was there yet, and no way was I going to sit like a _You_ lonely loser waiting for her.

I lean against my bike, winking at some girls as they walk by. They giggle and wave back, allowing me to cast my signature grin. I run a hand through my hair and stare lazily out at the crowd when I see a head of pigtails rushing into the café. I continue to wait 5 minutes to uphold my reputation for always being late, and then stroll into the café.

Maka was already seated at a booth, holding a cup between her hands. I can see a look of agitation in her eyes as I walk through the doors, grinning at her. She forces a smile.

I order my drink at the counter, grabbing the warm cup and shuffling over towards the booth. I slide in, sitting across from her. She looks at me with big emerald eyes.

"H-hi." She said awkwardly.

"Sup." I reply, gulping down some of my tea. I resist the urge to wince at the heat of it going down my throat, burning my insides. I prevent myself from choking by quietly sucking cold air.

Maka shifts uncomfortably in her seat. "Thanks for meeting me here."

I shrug. "Yeah, sure. I gotta go in an hour, so start talking, pigtails." I said. She furrows her brow, and I can tell she's fighting the urge to scowl. I grin mischievously.

"I first want to apologize for my actions yesterday. I shouldn't have reacted that way in a workplace, or said those things. It was rude and unprofessional."

"Okay. I accept your apology." She sighs in relief, and I begin to occupy myself with the cuff of my coat. I don't realize she's staring at me until she clears here throat. I look up and give her a confused glance. "What?"

"Aren't you sorry?" She asks. I laugh, shaking my head.

"Sorry for what? I didn't do anything."

She's stopped trying now. She tightens her grip on her cup. I'm surprised the top hasn't busted off from all the pressure she's putting on it. "You antagonized me to the point of having that reaction." She said through gritted teeth.

I laugh. "Oh come on. I was just teasing you." I said.

"That doesn't make it right, Soul! You hurt my feelings!"

" _You_ were ultimately the reason we were fired, pigtails."

"No I wasn't!" She exclaims. Everyone in the café's attention turns to us, and she sinks embarrassingly into her seat. I sigh.

"Can you act cool for one second, please? Jesus. And yes, even Stein hinted at it."

"He did- he did not!" She said, lowering her voice to avoid attracting attention.

I shake my head. "Whatever Maka. You can't take responsibility for anything."

"I- ugh!" She grunts, putting her head in her hands. I lean back on the booth and watch the television in the corner while she sulks. Finally, I hear her mutter something.

"Huh?" I ask.

She looks up. "I asked why you were even bothering to do this. Why you're putting me through this. You don't even care about your job!"

"Because I need money. Got a rent to pay. And if all it takes to get rehired is for us to make nice, I'd rather do that than start applying for new jobs." I explain. She makes an "o" with her mouth, as if she never considered the fact that I am also a 21 year old college student who is just beginning their journey into the world. "Why do you want it so badly? Smart girl like you, why not go for a better job?" I ask, because I truly want to know. While I may tease her for it, not even I can deny Maka is incredibly intelligent. She just uses her intelligence in uncool ways.

"Because I need money, I get to work with my best friends, I live super close to the store, and-" She shakes her head, making me knit my eyebrows together.

"And..." I said, gesturing my arms for her to continue. She shakes her head again, her pigtails slapping her cheeks.

"I can't say, you'll tease me for it." She said.

"Well, if you truly don't care what I think, than you would just say it." I retort. Her cheeks redden at the mention of what she screamed at me yesterday. She sighs, her gaze changing from guarded to thoughtful. She stares at some point on the table, and then she finally speaks.

"Sometimes people will come into the store, and find a loose guitar or a keyboard laying around, and they play. And I just love listening to their music. It's probably my favorite aspect of the job." She explains.

I flick my eyes up to her face, and her eyes meet mine. She had a soft smile on her lips and her eyes were shining. I don't think I'd ever seen Maka look like this before; most of the time when she saw me she was either annoyed or angry.

She raises her eyebrows in surprise. "What? No teasing? No smart remark?" She asks.

I shrug. "I know you think I am, but I'm not an asshole." She looks a little surprised at first, but smiles a little when she sees me laugh. It's silent for a while after that, her staring at her hands and me watching the television. The more I think of how we look, the more I realize how uncool we look. I huff and slide out of the booth, making Maka look up at me confused.

"It's been an hour, right?" I ask. She raises her eyebrows and checks her watch, and shrugs.

"It's only been about 45 minutes, but-"

"We can wrap this up. That's enough time for today." I interrupt. A strange feeling fills my chest as her face falls, her eyes downcast.

"Oh, okay. Well, thanks again for meeting with me." She said, her head facing her lap.

The feeling is still in my chest, and I hear myself saying "We can walk out together, pigtails." She looks up at me and I grin. She smiles back and stands, walking with me to the door. "So how often are we doing these things?" I ask.

She shrugs. "As many as necessary, I guess." I groan, and she rolls her eyes. "You have to work with me, this is the only way to get our jobs back."

I don't answer, walking towards where my bike is parked. She starts humming quietly along with the mall music, but she's on the complete wrong key. She must realize this, for she stops humming after awhile.

"Can I have your phone number?" She asks suddenly. We had just reached my bike, and I was pulling my keys out of my pocket. I look at her with raised eyebrows.

"Have you had a thing for me this whole time, pigtails? Have you been attempting to play hard to get?" I ask. She gasps, wrinkling her nose.

"Absolutely not! I need it so I can contact you with plans." She said. I laugh as she shakes her head, pulling her phone out. She quickly types in my number and sends a text so I can get hers. I feel the familiar vibrate in my back pocket, knowing I got her text.

"Drive safe, Soul. I'll see you around." She said.

"Yeah, see ya around." I said. She waves goodbye and starts walking off. A part of me wonders if I should offer her a ride, but I remember this is Maka I'm thinking of. Stubborn, prideful Maka who would never accept a ride. I pull my phone out and glance at the screen.

 _M: This is Maka Albarn._

I shake my head at her usage of punctuation and the fact that she used her full name. Just when I think she's becoming a little cooler, she bounces back ten times worse.

 _S: You're still going in my phone as pigtails_

I hit send and slide the phone back in my pocket. Her small frame is out of my view; she must have already left the mall. I start my bike up and pull out of the parking lot towards my apartment.

I slump on my couch, opening a bottle of beer and taking a sip. I don't normally drink beer; it's usually drunk by my friends when they stop by. But after my first "bonding session" with Maka, I decided to treat myself. Although it hasn't gone as horribly as I thought it would. We'd actually talked a little and- while I hate to use the term- bonded.

I somewhat regret telling her I had to leave. In truth, I didn't have any plans tonight. But I would've looked extremely uncool if I had said I was free this evening. Plus, Maka probably would've wanted to do something else.

I take another swig of beer, contemplating if I should call Black Star or not. My friend normally loved going out and having fun, but now that he's moved in with Tsubaki, he tends to stay in more or come home early. It was lame, and I hadn't invited him out recently because of it. But I was not about to go out by myself. Yet, who could I call?

I sigh and reach for my phone, dialing Black Star. He answers on the third ring.

"Soul! My main man, my go to, my-"

"Hey, what're you up to?"

"Training as always, my man! Why, you got something better to do?"

"Chupa Cabra's? You're not working tomorrow right?"

I hear a sigh from the other line. "Gods don't work two days in a row, Soul! Got anywhere else in mind? Chupa's can be a bit..." He said, trailing off. But I get what he means; you couldn't go get a drink without some worker shoving her breasts in your face.

"We could meet at The Kishin." I suggest, referring to one of the many nightclubs in Death City.

"Aha! We shall meet at The Kishin at 8:00 then, my friend. Yahoo!"

A/N: Wow! I can't believe the amount of support already shown on this story! It means the world to me guys, please continue doing what you're doing! Hope you enjoy chapter 2!

~Greenybean


	3. Chapter 3

**Maka**  
The last thing I expected to awaken me the next day was a call from Black Star.

The incessant ringing of my phone jolts me from my sleep, causing me to nearly hit my phone off of my nightstand. I squint at the screen and slide the answer.

"Hello?" I ask groggily.

"Oi, Maka." Black Star said. I gasp at his voice; he sounds terrible.

"Black Star? Is everything alright? You sound awful."

"Oi, Maka. Ya-urggghh." He groans, and I hear some scuffling on the other end. A calm voice tells Black Star to lie down, and then it speaks into the receiver.

"Maka? So sorry to wake you." Tsubaki apologizes. I blink my eyes a few times, slowly coming more into reality.

"It's fine, what's wrong? He sounded awful."

"He is completely hungover. I need to get some water and aspirin in him as soon as possible, he's working today."

"Why did he call me then?" I ask.

Tsubaki sighs. "I told him to. He and Soul went out last night and came back to my house completely wasted. Soul is passed out on the couch as we speak... I don't think I have time to get him and Black Star settled and still make it to work on time. Do you think you could come get Soul and-"

"No." I interrupt.

"Maka, please. This is a great chance for the two of you to hang out!" She said enthusiastically. When I don't answer, she sighs. "Maybe you two can just go out to breakfast, or you can walk him home. I really hate to bother you with this." She apologizes.

I realize how selfish I'm being. This is Tsubaki asking for a favor. Tsubaki, who has done nothing but help and support me the entire time I've known her. Tsubaki, whose heart is filled with nothing but understanding and care. Tsubaki, who has the ability to make even the worst of people do good.

I sigh. "Fine. I'm only doing this for you, y'know." I said.

Tsubaki makes a sound of relief. "Maka, I can't thank you enough!"

I smile. "Let me get somewhat presentable, then I'll be right over."

I quickly slide into a pair of shorts, T-shirt, and my boots. I leave my hair down, scrunching my eyebrows at its length. I need a haircut soon.

I lock my door and start waking quickly towards Tsubaki's apartment.

I tried not to feel annoyed that Tsubaki had called me. _Me_ , of all people. Why not call Kid, or Liz, or Patty?! What made her think that I was the best person to care for Soul in his hungover state? I sigh, reminding myself this was a favor for _Tsubaki_ , not necessarily for Soul.

I arrive at the complex and walk into the building. The lobby was cold, the air conditioner blowing full blast. I shiver as I make my way towards the elevator, clicking Tsubaki's floor. I tap my foot impatiently as it groans to life, taking me up. The doors creak open, and I walk through the old hallways. I reach door 321 and knock.

The door opens quickly, and Tsubaki's ocean blue eyes greet me. "Maka, I can't thank you enough for coming." She said, holding the door open for me. I smile at her and walk in, glancing around the familiar area.

Besides the Japanese inspired furniture and decorations, the one thing that always stuck out to me about Black Star and Tsubaki's apartment was how clean it was. The wood floor was spotless, as was every other piece of furniture in the house. Dust wasn't even visible on the shelves and tables, something I always struggled with back at my apartment. It was spotless... Except for the boy laying sloppily on the couch, a blanket hanging off of his frame.

His arms were over his eyes, as if trying to block out the bright light. I heard some fumbling in the hallway and turn to see Black Star walking towards us, dressed in his work shirt and holding his head. "Good morning, Black Star." I said cheerfully. He gives me a look, and rolls his eyes.

"Yeah, "good" morning. Tell that to my pounding head." He retorts. I open my mouth to say something back, but Tsubaki clears her throat. Black Star's glower shifts to a tired look, and he walks over to his girlfriend.

"Maka is going to take care of Soul, and we have to get to work. The medicine should kick in soon." Tsubaki said. Black Star groans again, shutting his eyes and turning his head towards the ceiling. Tsubaki casts him a sad look and places a hand on his arm.

"I'll be okay. Gods don't let anything hold them back." He said to her. She smiles, and he looks at her with a soft grin on his face.

When Tsubaki had told me she was dating Black Star, I hadn't liked the idea of it. Sweet, caring Tsubaki mixed with the loud, self-absorbed Black Star was unsettling. The first time I saw the two of them together, I was shocked. Black Star was a complete different person when he was with her. He was more gentle, his tone and attitude more loving. Over time, it's become clear to me that it could be possible that he loves her more than he loves himself.

"Let me wake Soul." Tsubaki said, untangling herself from Black Star's arm. He lets her go, watching as she bends next to Soul's sleeping figure. "Soul... Soul, Maka is here." She said gently, nudging his arm. He turns away from her, making her sigh. Black Star's eyebrows furrow at her disappointed face, and he stomps over to Soul.

"Wake up! We have to get to work. Your babysitter is here." He said, smacking Soul's head hard.

Soul yells and sits up, rubbing where he was hit. "Why the _hell_ would you hit someone with a pounding headache?! God, you're an idiot!" He said angrily. Black Star gives him a smirk while Tsubaki looks at him with sorrow. Soul's eyes shift from them to me, and he grins. "Wow. Didn't think you'd actually show, pigtails."

I frown, about to tell him how I didn't want to be here, but Tsubaki speaks first. "She's not wearing her hair in pigtails, Soul." She said, smiling at me. I know she's just trying to lighten the mood, so I fake a smile. Soul looks me up and down, and raises an eyebrow.

"Would you look at that. New look for you, bangs." He said. Him and Black Star laugh, but I glare at him.

"Let's go, Soul." I said through gritted teeth. He slowly stands, rubbing his temples.

"What happened to not working two days in a row, Black Star?" He asks. Black Star shakes his head, and Soul laughs. We say goodbye to the couple and walk out the door. We don't speak to each other until we're out of the building.

"What do you want to do?" I ask, turning to face him. His hands were in his pockets, squinting into the sunlight. He looked awful. His white hair was even messier than usual, bags under his bloodshot eyes. I feel a tinge of sympathy for him.

He shrugs, sighing. "I dunno." He said.

"Do you want to go home?" I ask. He shrugs. "Do you want to go to eat?" I ask. He shrugs. I clench my hand into a fist, my frustration building. "Do you want to grab coffee?" I try again. He shrugs. I throw my hands up in aggravation. "Well, I give up Soul. Just pick something!"

"I can barely think straight with this headache. _You_ pick." He insists. I roll my eyes, my stomach grumbling. I hadn't eaten breakfast yet, and I was starving.

"Let's go to the diner and grab something. Then we'll go from there."

I didn't think it was possible to walk slower than the pace Soul and I were going. He made no effort in speeding up when I did. He kept his head down, shifting each foot in front of the other at an agonizingly slow pace. He didn't talk to me much, only asking what diner we were going to and complaining about how much his head hurt. By the time the diner's flashing sign came into view, I was practically dragging him towards it.

The diner gave off an old, warm vibe as we walked in. It was an old diner, with black and white tile for floor and red seats stained from years of spilled beverages and foods. Nevertheless, the food was good and the waitresses were always extremely friendly. They greeted us with a warm smile.

"Booth or table?" The waitress asks. I open my mouth to answer, but Soul interrupts.

"Booth." He said. She nods and brings us to one of many open booths. Besides the two of us, the only other people here were a group of men and an elderly couple. I didn't know what I expected; it was a Thursday morning, and people were at work.

Soul and I slide into the booth, facing each other. The waitress places two thick menus in front of us and pulls out her notepad. "Anything to drink?" She asks.

"Coffee." Soul answers immediately. She scribbles on her sheet of paper and casts her eyes to me. I smile.

"I'll have the same." I said kindly. She smiles back and walks off to get our drinks. I open my menu and start looking at the endless number of options. I was deciding between pancakes or a waffle when Soul curses. I look over at him as he frantically moving his hands in his pockets. "What's wrong?" I ask.

"My wallet. I must've left it at Black Star's place. Shit." He said, leaning back in the booth and running his hands down his face.

"I'll pay for you, just get the bill next time we go out." I suggest. He puts his chin on his hand and looks away, mumbling something. I ignore him and continue studying the menu.

The waitress comes back with our coffees and place them before us. "Are we all ready to order?" She asks. I glance at Soul, who nods.

"Cheese omelet." Soul said, handing her the menu. I frown as I glance at what he ordered; it was the cheapest item on the menu.

"And I'll have a waffle with strawberries." I said, handing my menu to the waitresses. She takes them and walks off towards the kitchen. I pull my coffee towards me, and begin dumping the small milk containers into the brown liquid. I reach for the sugars and grab a few packs. I'm on my third pack when I hear Soul scoff. I look up and raise an eyebrow at his watchful expression.

"What?" I ask, putting the packet down. He shakes his head.

"Nothing, nothing, just that your drink is becoming more of a sweet concoction than coffee." He notices. I look at his coffee, and see it's still pure black. I shrug, picking up the packet and dumping in the remains.

"I like my coffee light." I said matter-of-factly. He nods and takes a long sip of coffee. Once he's done, he groans.

"This isn't making my head feel any better." He complains. I roll my eyes. I'd felt sorry for Soul at first; while I'd never been hungover, I've heard it's completely miserable. But his constant complaining and grumbling has made all sympathy leave my body.

"It's not a magic potion, Soul. You put the alcohol in your system, you wait for it and the effects of it to work its way out." I explain.

He sits back and sighs, a small grin on his face. "It was totally worth it. It was a great night." He said satisfactorily. I shake my head, making him lean forward. "What was that for?" He asks.

"Your idea of a great night is going out, getting totally wasted, and then crashing at your friends' house, who had work the next morning? Seems a little warped to me."

"Yeah, going out with friends is supposed to be fun. And Black Star told me he didn't have work today, but he's an idiot and didn't check the schedule. I thought I'd crash there, wake up whenever, and leave." He explains.

"Oh. I'd say you still owe Tsubaki an apology. Your "great night" caused her way more stress than she deserved." I said. I didn't mean the comment to be nasty, but judging by the look Soul is giving me, he perceived it incorrectly.

He shakes his head, chucking. "Who are you, my mom? Telling someone what to do isn't cool, pigtails." He said. I open my mouth to argue, but he continues on. "And y'know, I'd like to know what your idea of a fun night is. Because if I had to bet, you probably went home last night and read a book or watched a documentary."

I blink several times, digesting everything he said. My surprised expression turns to anger. " _I_ know how to have fun without disrupting other people's lives. That's something you have yet to learn, Soul." I spit.

He stretches, leaning back over the booth. I glare at him, nostrils flared, waiting for an answer. He gives me a lazy grin. "Your perception of me is so off it's comical." He said.

"My _perception_?! Whose dumb joke got us fired from our jobs?! Whose incapability to be considerate caused Tsubaki to be crazy this morning?! I don't call that a _perception, Soul_. That's a fair assessment based on previous experiences." I realize I was talking very loudly, one octave short of yelling. I was standing from my seat, leaning across the table, right in Soul's face. The attention of everyone in the diner is on us. I sit back in my seat, too disgusted to be embarrassed. I shake my head at him as he sighs.

"There ya go, pigtails. Way to make it uncool." He said, pulling out his phone and tapping on the screen. My anger vanishes, leaving my cheeks red with embarrassment. I look down at my lap until our food comes. Once arrived, I poke around at it, taking occasional bites. Soul devours his omelet, barely coming up for air.

I hated to admit it, but Soul was right. It wasn't right of me to freak out on him all the time. But he's just so infuriating, so irritating, such a boy! They cheat and lie and hurt and cause problems, and when confronted about it, they act all innocent. All those times Papa would claim he would never cheat again, would never sneak out of the house again, only to lead to yet another screaming match between him and Mama.

Thoughts of my past make my nose runny. I wipe it, hoping Soul won't notice. "Um, Soul?" I ask quietly. He looks up from his dish, chewing the last of his omelet. I glance down at my uneaten waffle, deciding I'll have to get a box for it. "You can go back to the store tomorrow, get your job back. I don't want it anymore." I said. I hear a clang as he drops his fork on his plate, but my eyes remain on the table.

"What?" He asks.

I sigh and look up at him, his red eyes squinted in confusion. "This," I motion to the both of us. "Isn't working. We weren't meant to be... Acquaintances. After all the times I've yelled at you, you probably hate me anyway so it's not wo-"

"I don't hate you, Maka." He said. I feel my eyes widen in shock at his stern expression. Not only was this one of the few times he's used my real name, but there wasn't an ounce of joke on his face. He was serious.

"W-what?" I stutter.

"I never said I hated you." He repeats.

"Well what do you call it then?" I ask, leaning on my elbows. He shrugs.

He shrugs. "I don't know, I don't really mind your company. When you're not yelling at me or acting uncool, it hasn't been too bad." He explains. I stare into his red eyes. I was at a loss for words. He finishes up his coffee, setting the mug on the table. Thankfully, the waitress comes back before I have to say anything.

"Need a box?" She asks, referring to my waffle. I nod, sliding the plate towards her. She takes our plates, avoiding eye contact with me. She probably saw my outburst.

"I-I..." I begin, but I can't finish. I still have no clue how to answer.

"Don't give up on the job. I never really knew how much you loved it... It'd be uncool and selfish of me to take it away from you." He said, his tone more gentle than normal. I nod, watching as the waitress comes back with a box and a check. I take the check, opening it up and sliding my wallet from my bag. I throw some money in and close it, handing it to her. She rushes over to the cash register and brings back my change, which I leave on the table for a tip plus a few extra dollars as an apology for my yelling.

Soul and I walk outside of the diner. It was still quite early; the grass was still covered in dew. "Thanks for breakfast, I'll get the next one." Soul promises, stopping. I stop next to him, avoiding his eyes.

"You're welcome." I said, digging the toe of my shoe into the sidewalk. I finally look up at him and see he's still massaging his temples. "Do you want me to walk you home?" I ask.

Soul laughs, shaking his head. "No thanks, cool guys don't have the girls walk them home." He explains. I laugh and shrug.

"Well, I hope you feel better. And again, I'm sorry about earlier." I said. He shrugs.

"Hey, it wouldn't be an outing with pigtails if there isn't an outburst of sorts." He said, grinning. A part of me is annoyed by his comment, but I laugh again.

"I don't have pigtails in though!" I point out, tugging on my hair.

He stares at me, making me shift my eyesight to a nearby tree. I'm about to ask what the problem is when he speaks. "I like your hair down, but I prefer pigtails to bangs for your nickname." He said.

I roll my eyes. "Or you could just call me Maka." I suggest, but he shakes his head.

"Not a chance." I sigh, and he laughs. He starts walking down the sidewalk, but he stops again. I raise an eyebrow as he turns around. "I'll text you later." He said, smiling. I smile again and watch him leave, turning and leaving as well.

 **A/N: Follow, favorite, review! All support is greatly appreciated, I love seeing people enjoying my work. Quick question: does anyone have any preference to what gender Crona is? I'm currently writing another fanfiction where Crona is a girl, and I have no problem doing that for this story as well, nor do I have a problem making Crona male. Thanks again!**

 **~Greenybean**


	4. Chapter 4

**Soul**

When I arrive back home, I thought I would jump right back in bed and sleep for the rest of the day. But I find myself not even in my apartment yet, leaning on the door, texting Maka of all people.

 _M: I just found online that it is important to drink a lot of water after a night of drinking._

 _S: Thanks Dr. Oz, what would I do without you_

 _M: You could try saying thank you._

 _S: Thanks. And stop using punctuation at the end of your sentences_

 _M: I'll text however I want._

I grin and shake my head, not knowing why I bothered trying. This is pigtails I'm talking to; her stubbornness is worse than mine.

"Well don't you look _puuuuuurrfect_ as always." I hear. I glance up from my phone and see my neighbor, Blair, closing the door to her apartment. She was wearing a shirt that was so low cut that I couldn't help but think she trimmed it herself. Her shorts only came to the top of her thighs. I look away from her to prevent any unfortunate nosebleeds or... worse.

"Hi Blair." I said, pretending to fumble with my keys. She waltzes up next to me, leaning on my shoulder.

"You sound tired, pumpkin. Do you need a massage?" She asks. I feel her fingernails start tracing circles on my back. I will myself to function normally.

"I'm good for now." I said, arching my back away from her hand. She steps away and pouts.

"Why are you being so grumpy? Play with me!" She exclaims. I shake my head, opening the door to my apartment.

"I'm completely hungover. I'm going back to bed."

She laughs. "Aw, poor Soul. Well, if you need anything," she steps towards me, rubbing her body against my own. "You know where to find me." She purrs. I feel a familiar trickle come from my left nostril, and I quickly bring my hand up to cover it. She laughs again and walks off, swaying her hips as she goes.

I quickly open the door and close it, running to the bathroom to attend to my bleeding nose. I wrap a tissue around it, already accustomed to this routine. I always got nosebleeds because of Blair, and it was really uncool.

The fogginess in my head has cleared up more, allowing me to function without my head pounding. I walk over to the kitchen and open the fridge, grabbing a water bottle. While I didn't appreciate Maka chiding me, she was right about having to drink water.

At this point, I had no idea where I stood with Maka. Our conversation after breakfast had been pleasant, but during had been a bit rough. I sigh, sitting down on the couch. She wasn't wrong about me having to apologize to Tsubaki. I'll have to get her something to make up for it later.

Once I get comfortable, my phone begins to ring. I look around on the couch for it, and groan. I must have left it in the kitchen when I got my water. Grudgingly, I get up and walk towards it. I slide the answer button.

"Hello?" I ask.

"Hey. We're still down for the gym today, right?" Kid's voice asks. Shit, I think to myself.

Kid has been harassing Black Star and I to work out with him. It all started when his girlfriends little sister, Patty, was drunkenly joking about how Kid resembled a marshmallow in the sense that he was "pale and fluffy." This was a ridiculous comment considering Kid is extremely thin, almost without an ounce of extra fat on his body, but Kid hadn't taken too kindly to it. He was determined to bulk up, and I'd completely forgotten I'd promised to meet with him today.

"Yeah, 10:00 right?" I ask. In truth, I had no clue what time I agreed to meet him. Hopefully it was 10.

"9:00." He said. I glance at the time, seeing it was 9:30.

"Shit, I'm sorry Kid, I woke up at Black Star's place and wa-"

"And was completely hungover. Yeah, Tsubaki called me this morning but I missed the call. She left a pretty frantic voicemail."

I sigh and run a hand through my hair. "I feel terrible. I'll get her something today for an apology."

"Perhaps we can look together, I owe Liz another bowl."

"Bowl? Why?"

He sighs. "I measured the diameter of a bowl she had and it wasn't 8 inches. I threw it out. She's pretty upset with me."

I laugh, walking into my room. "Jesus Kid, you and that obsession. Anyways, I'll meet you at the gym at 10." I hang the phone up and throw it on my bed. Stepping over dirty clothes and empty food bags, I make my way to my dresser and pull a tank top and gym shorts out. I peel off my clothes from last night and put them on, adding my discarded clothes to the pile on the floor. I walk over to my nightstand and grab some loose cash to stand in for my wallet.

I walk back into the kitchen and uncap the water bottle, downing it. I didn't realize how thirsty I was, and end up refilling the bottle. After downing that too, I will myself to stop. If I continue chugging water like this, I'll probably throw up at the gym.

I refill the bottle and grab my keys, figuring I'd better start for the gym. While it was early, and the gym was only a few minutes away on foot, I didn't want to risk anything that would make Kid wait any longer. I lock up my apartment and start down the corridor.

I wasn't the hugest fan of Kid when I first met him. Our first encounter was him following me around the store, frantically reorganizing all of the CD's I stocked. Before I left that day, he'd called me a failure and asymmetrical garbage, whatever that meant. Over time though, I'd grown quite attached to the symmetry obsessed guy. Not only was he hilarious when he had his outbursts, but aside from Tsubaki, he was the only one that could get Maka off of Black Star and I's case, which I was thankful for.

By the time I reach the gym, I'm already sweating. Summer in Death City was no joke, and it's usually why I spend most of it indoors. I walk into the gym, grateful for the blast of cool air that greets me as I walk in. I see the familiar tattoos on the man behind the desk, and raise a hand at him.

"'Sup, Sid?" I ask, leaning against the desk. He turns around from the computer, smiling.

"Soul! Good to see you. Black Star isn't here with you?"

I shake my head. "Nope, had work today. He'll probably be by afterwards." Sid was always quite fond of Black Star. He was his personal trainer when Black Star first started coming to the gym, a scrawny little 18 year old boy. Now, Black Star worked out like a fiend and had the physique to prove it. I had to give it to the guy; he took good care of himself.

"He better be, he skipped out on his workout yesterday evening. I would get on him about it, but that's not the kind of man I am." Sid explains. I decide it'd be for better for Black Star if I didn't share that he'd gone out drinking instead of being here.

I hear the door open and turn to see Kid's frame in the doorway. He was put together way too well for a workout; his hair was freshly parted, his outfit free of any wrinkles. I sigh. Did he really iron his gym clothes?!

"Hey Kid." I said, guilt filling my gut as I look into his golden eyes.

He nods politely at Sid and joins me. "Hey. You look better than I thought you would. From the way Tsubaki described you on my voicemail, I thought you would be bedridden all day." Kid explains.

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "God, I feel so bad about that."

Kid gives a small grin. "Don't worry, you'll make it up to her." He encourages. I nod, and begin walking towards the stairs that lead to an upstairs track. Once at the top, I turn to Kid.

"Let's do a few laps for a warm up, then we'll get back down to the bench press." I suggest. Kid nods, and we begin running around the small track. The gym was pretty empty, everyone at work and having got their workouts finished in the morning. "When do you have work today?" I ask.

"3. And I'm dreading it because Black Star opened today, and I know he probably made a mess of the store. The sign out front is probably so asymmetrical... It gives me chills just thinking about it." Kid exclaims. I chuckle quietly, not wanting him to feel embarrassed about his obsession with symmetry. If there was a show called extreme OCD, Kid would be on it.

"I wouldn't be surprised, he looked pretty awful this morning." I admit. Kid sighs, speeding up slightly as annoyance fuels his body. I keep pace with him as we complete another few laps, and then walk back downstairs. I pat a bench press for him to sit, and turn to grab some weights. We'd only begun working out with Kid recently, so I didn't want to push him too hard. He'd get injured and have to wait, and speaking from experience, injuries were not cool. I absentmindedly grab a 30 pound weight, and turn to put it on the bar when I notice Kid is not seated at the bench press. I frown, and look around the gym until I catch sight of his lanky frame. My eyes widen when I realize what he's trying to do, and I drop the weight and rush over to him.

"Kid! What the hell?! Stop it!" I exclaim, pulling him away from the weight rack. He struggles against me, stretching his limbs out toward it.

"No! Soul you don't understand! I _need_ the eighty pound weight! Eight is superior to all numbers, I MUST HAVE EIGHT!" I look embarrassingly around the gym. The few people in there have their attention trained solely on Kid and I. I sigh, feeling a sense of deja vu from the times Maka and I have gone out. No wonder these two get along so well; they both act uncool in public.

Eventually, Kid calms down enough for me to drag him back to the bench. His eyes were a little watery, and I hoped he wouldn't begin crying about it. The last thing I needed was an upset Kid on my hands. "Alright Kid, listen. You can't start with eighty. That's too much."

He gives me a look. "No it is not. I can handle it."

"Eighty pounds on each end?! A twenty-five pound bar plus one hundred and sixty pounds in weight?! You're not ready for that yet." I explain. Kid puts his head in his hands, mumbling about numbers and symmetry. I sigh, when suddenly an idea strikes me. "How about if the total weight you lift is eighty? Would that be better?" I ask. While his face is covered, I can still make out Kid's small nod. I grin at my idea, and turn back towards the weight rack. I pull another thirty pound weight from the wrack and carry them over to the bench. I place them beside it and swap the twenty-five pound bar for a twenty. I step back and marvel at my work, wishing more people were around to see how cooly I'd handled the situation. "Alright Kid, you're all set." I announce.

Kid looks up from his hands, observing the weights beside him and the bar itself. He seems to be adding the numbers up in his head, which makes me frown. Does he think I seriously can't add numbers up to eighty?! Once satisfied, he grins. "Alright. Let's get these weights on the bar."

I hold the vase awkwardly in my hands, spinning it around. "You sure Tsubaki would like this, Kid?" I ask apprehensively. Tsubaki didn't strike me as the vase kind of girl, and the design of it didn't match their furniture.

Kid rolls his eyes. "Of course she would, Soul. The vase is eight feet high, and is perfectly symmetrical. Who _wouldn't_ like that?" He asks. I hand him the vase, deciding he'd want it more than she would.

"I'm sure she'd want you to have it." I insist. He takes the vase lovingly, his eyes shining in adoration. I sigh and look away while Kid has his moment with the symmetrical object. I hate shopping in general, and furniture/decorating stores were the worst. The only reason we were here was so Kid could get another bowl for Liz, and one hour later we haven't even gotten the where the bowls were yet.

"Can we speed this up, Kid? You're taking forever." I said, leaning against a wall. Kid carefully places the vase in his basket, a scowl on his face.

"Do you not realize that Liz has just moved into my apartment? I need to amp the place up a little, get some more things." He explains, gesturing to his almost full basket. I sigh and slump my shoulders, following him around the store like a young child does to their mother. Eventually, I guide him towards checkout.

"I'll probably just get Tsubaki a gift card. I have no ideas." I said, shrugging. I open the door and hold it for Kid, whose hands are both wrapped around bags from the store. He smiles in appreciation, and I follow him to his car.

"Why not ask Black Star? Or Maka? Speaking of Maka, how's it going between the two of you?" He asks. I lean against the side of the car as he puts the bags in the back, thinking how to explain Maka and I's relationship.

I slide into the passenger seat as Kid turns on the car, the AC blowing full blast. I can tell he's waiting for my answer. "I.. Don't know. It's better than what it once was, I guess."

"Well, she did come and get you this morning, so that does show a sign of progress." Kid said enthusiastically, pulling out of the space.

I shrug. "She didn't want to, though." I explain. I sit back in the seat, remembering the diner this morning. "She got upset with me while we were at breakfast, caused a scene. But then we talked and it was... Fine I guess. When she's not all flustered, she's pretty cool. I owe her one though, she paid for my breakfast this morning."

"She paid for your breakfast? Why?

"I left my wallet at Black Star's place." I explain.

Kid scrunches his eyebrows in confusion. "If you don't have your wallet, and you had found something for Tsubaki in the store, were you going to make me pay for it?" He asks.

I gawk at him, in awe that he'd change the conversation for something as stupid as that. "No Kid. I had some money at my apartment that I brought with me. Was it really necessary to change the conversation for that?!"

Kid shrugs. "Sorry. But by the sounds of it, you owe Maka something too." He said.

"Yeah, we agreed that I'll get the bill next time we go out. I just hope th-"

"And when is the next time you both are going out?" He interrupts. I shrug.

"I don't know. She plans the stuff." I said. Kid shakes his head, stopping the car at a red light. He turns to me, a somewhat annoyed look on his face. I raise an eyebrow.

"Don't always leave the plan making to her. You need a gift for Tsubaki, and you owe Maka a meal. Sounds like you should plan the next one, and I suggest tomorrow night.

I roll my eyes. "We hung out yesterday and today, Kid. I already told her I don't want it to be an every day thing, maybe once a week." Kid gives me a nasty look, and floors the gas once the light changes. His knuckles are white around the steering wheel, and his eyes were filled with anger. "Kid slow down! What the hell?!" I exclaim, grabbing the handle on the side of the door. Kid ignores me until we get to another light, where he comes to a screeching halt. He's lucky there were no cops around to see him driving like that.

He turns to me again. "Soul, the quicker you two make nice, the quicker you get your jobs back. In the mean time, you both have no jobs and still need to spend money on things. I'm not picking sides here, because frankly I don't believe either of you are innocent here, but please listen to me. You may not like your family," I scowl at the mention of them, but Kid pretends not to notice. "But they are able to support you if you ever needed it. Maka? She... She only has herself really. So take that into consideration before you decide whether or not you seeing her is a weekly thing or not." His tone wasn't nasty or annoyed, but more explanatory. A strange feeling comes over me.

Kid's speech about his friend made me realize I know little to nothing about the girl I'm supposed to become friends with. I know her name is Maka Albarn, and she's in college. I know she is friendly with Tsubaki, Kid, and Liz. I know she loves her job... That's really about it. I have no clue about her personal life, where she's from, anything. I guess the same could be said for me.

"I-I, I didn't know... I guess we haven't really communicated much about ourselves." I stutter, looking out the window as Kid drives, thankfully no longer like a crazy person. I hear him sigh.

"Perhaps if you understood each other more, your time together would consist of less fights." He suggests. I nod. "So, are you going to call her tonight? Ask if she has any plans?"

"I guess... But what would we do? This is Maka, she'd probably want me to take her to a museum or something."

Kid shakes his head, his eyes rolling as well. "There's plenty to do in Death City. Just find something." I scrunch my face at his lack of guidance.

Eventually, Kid pulls up to my apartment complex. I slide out of the seat, already wishing the air conditioner could be back on my skin. "See ya." I said, closing the door.

"Soul, wait." I hear Kid call. I open the door wider, my frame fully visible to him. He takes his hands off the wheel and rests them in his lap. "What I said earlier... About Maka... Please don't tell anyone. Or don't bring it up to her. It's a sensitive subject with a long back story, that's all I'm going to say. I'm sure when she's more comfortable around you, she'll explain it, but for now... Just forget about it." He said.

I furrow my eyebrows at him, but nod anyway. He grins a little, and waves. I close the door and walk towards my apartment building, my mind swirling with thoughts. Seems that Maka's life hasn't been as boring as I thought it was.


End file.
